Madison BOC blocks frozen food plant

The Madison County Board of Commissioners denied a rezoning request this week that would have allowed a quick-freeze frozen food warehouse near Hull.

''I am very disappointed,'' said John Scoggins, chairman of the Madison County Industrial Authority. ''It's one of the cleanest environmentally friendly industries you can have.''

Scoggins spoke in favor of the warehouse at this week's commission meeting before the board voted 3-2 to deny a request to rezone three parcels totaling 17.31 acres from A-2 (agricultural) to I (industrial). Commissioners Bill Taylor and Johnny Fitzpatrick cast the votes in favor of the warehouse.

''Madison County needs to expand its tax base,'' Fitzpatrick said Thursday. ''This was a good opportunity, I felt.''

The warehouse would have brought an estimated additional $125,000 per year in ad valorem taxes to the county, according to Scoggins.

S.E.C. Cold Storage Inc., the Georgia company requesting the rezoning, can re-apply to the planning commission in six months, Scoggins said.

The company's plans called for a 29,000-square-foot building where baked goods and other foods could be frozen and stored for shipment. The site is adjacent to Georgia Highway 72 and railroad tracks but is near 15 homes.

Residents had complained about the facility out of fear that it would bring increased traffic and noise.

''There are so many rumors about it,'' Scoggins said. ''People are saying it's an ammonia plant, but that's not true. It uses the same Freon that's in your 2001 car that's environmentally friendly.''

County Commissioner Bruce Scogin said he has been working to bring the warehouse to Colbert, where there is also railroad access.

''It would be an enormous benefit to our county,'' Scogin said Thursday.